


Security

by labyrinthof_fan_fiction



Category: Star Trek, Star Trek: Alternate Original Series (Movies)
Genre: F/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-06-13
Updated: 2020-06-18
Packaged: 2021-03-03 22:01:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,965
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24692683
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/labyrinthof_fan_fiction/pseuds/labyrinthof_fan_fiction
Summary: Leonard McCoy never wanted to be cut off from the world. He wanted to heal, but the world had other plans for him. So he locked his heart up and ventured into space. And it was all to plan, that is until a certain captain broke through his walls. Followed by a security officer who keeps ending up as his patient.
Relationships: Leonard "Bones" McCoy/OC
Kudos: 10





	1. Breaking Down

**Author's Note:**

> I do not own Star Trek or their characters. 
> 
> Original Character: Avery
> 
> There's a solid chance I have screwed up all these medical things, if someone wants to teach me how to Star Trek medical please help.

Leonard “Bones” McCoy was a sensible man, he had his heart broken, so he locked it far away, in space. His past kept him from opening up to people, friendships and romance were the last thing on his mind. Then James Tiberius Kirk entered his life. The kid wore a weakness into the walls Leonard had put up for so long, actually who was he kidding, he knocked a huge hole in them that Leonard just didn’t have the time to patch up. Mainly because he was patching Jim up.   
Adventure, wonder, the final frontier! These were the selling points of Starfleet, at least to most. Leonard had one point that sold Starfleet for him: get off this damn planet ‘cause you don’t have anything keeping you here. The irony of his life was maximized by him being stuck on a damn ship, and he hated flying.   
All of that aside, he was content in his life as it was now. He had become CMO of the Enterprise, not under the best of circumstances, but it was a step. He could dedicate his time to his mission, healing. His purpose, to heal people. This was his one place he found peace, at least until Jim decided to avoid his routine checks or got himself into a kind of trouble that ended with him lying in a medical bed. Which was more often than not. Leonard knew that he at least would never be bored as the CMO of the Enterprise.   
While the majority of his time was chasing down the Captain for injuries, his other time was spent treating the mass of red shirts that came in. Engineers flowed in on the daily for cuts, burns, and the occasional crushed limb. The security officers were frequent flyers in the sick bay, that was if they stayed alive long enough. Leonard had seen more than his fair share of space funerals. Each new planet meant he would sign at least a dozen death certificates. Each certificate signing day was marked with a prescription of scotch that sat in the bottom drawer of his desk. The scotch was hardly a secret, at least from those on the ship. Leonard often wondered how many more planets he could take. Sure, he wasn’t ordering the planetary exploration or writing the letters home to families. So many sons and daughters who would not return home. He knew this was the hardest part of Jim’s job, often Jim received a dose of scotch after a difficult planetary excursion.   
There were a few who somehow always managed to come back, typically in one piece. And this is where the secondary destroyer of walls came in. Leonard had made a point of keeping his distance from the security personnel. No doubt they were all decent people, but Leonard was growing tired of watching decent people die for Starfleet. And that was where Avery came in.  
She was rolled in on a stretcher, bleeding profusely from her abdomen. She looked up at him and said, “Make this one quick doc, I have a date tonight.”   
“Tell that to the hole in your stomach.” He grumbled, running the tricorder over her body to get the full extent of her injuries, pressing a hypospray into her neck.   
“Jeez, buy me dinner….first.” She said before falling unconscious. He watched her skin grow paler as Nurse Chapel handed him the autosuture. He began working on closing the wound, keeping his eyes on her injury. All that mattered was closing the wound, he was not filling out more death certificates today. He breathed a sigh of relief when he saw the skin close cleanly, leaving a tiny scar, but he was proud of his work, even more, he could add a life saved to his small list of things that had gone write today. He stepped back and handed the auto suture to Chapel and took a seat in the chair next to her bed.   
He had spent so much time of his day staring at wounds of security officers he had not taken the chance to look at the people he saved. Leonard looked up at the unconscious face of the woman on the bed. She was pretty, he would admit that, at least to himself, not to Jim. If Jim knew he would have them married within the week. Her chestnut hair was wild around her face, ripped out of the tight bun the female security officers. She was new to the Enterprise, a transfer added to replace the security officers lost at the last planet. She looked young to Leonard, too young to die.   
He pulled her personnel file up on his pad, a beaming face stared up at him the green eyes lighting up the screen. She had been born in a small insignificant town in the states the same year as Jim. Leonard figured there must be a death wish among the people born in that year. She had graduated as Salutatorian of her Starfleet class, several academy awards were displayed, particularly those in marksmanship and combat. Leonard found himself wondering about the woman on the bed in front of him, who obviously could kick his ass. He set the pad aside and ran the tricorder over her again.   
“Am I going to live to fight another day, doc?” She asked softly.   
“It would seem that way.” He said, removing the tricorder from her. “How are you feeling?”  
“Like I’m not going on a date tonight.” She said with a smirk, she began to pull herself up into a sitting position. “Although, the company isn’t too bad here.”   
Leonard felt his face warm against his will. “I would like to keep you overnight for monitoring, that was a nasty wound.”   
She nodded, a spark in her eyes flickered, she opened her mouth to respond, but was cut off by Jim entering. “How’s the patient, ‘doc’?” He asked, obviously he had been waiting for his chance to interrupt.   
“Healing.” Leonard answered, rolling his eyes at the Captain.   
Jim turned to Avery in the bed, who had sat up taller at the Captain’s entrance, “At ease Ensign.” He said, her shoulders fell as she sunk back into the bed. “That was impressive work today.”  
She lowered her eyes to her hands as Jim continued, “Thanks to your actions, the entire planet team from today made it back to ship. You’ll have to teach me your ways with the phaser.”  
“It was nothing, I was just doing my job.” She answered, quickly adding, “Captain.”   
“It was a damn good job.” Jim said, “Which is why I am promoting you to Lieutenant. Congratulations.”  
A small smile graced the woman’s lips, “Thank you, Captain.”  
Jim nodded. He turned to Leonard and winked, “As you were.” And made his exit.   
“Congratulations, Lieutenant.” Leonard said, looking into the green eyes in front of him.   
“Thanks, Doc.” She said, a smile gracing her lips. “So what’s a girl got to do to spend a night with you?”  
It was that moment that bricks started to fall off Leonard’s walls. “It would appear that getting stabbed is a good start.”  
“I’ll keep that in mind for next time.” She said, closing her eyes and falling asleep.   
Leonard knew that there would be a next time and damn did he need a drink


	2. Hammer Away

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Leonard's reflections and musings on his interactions with Lieutenant Avery Martin.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do not own Star Trek or the Star Trek Characters. 
> 
> Original Character: Lieutenant Avery Martin

Leonard was finishing his paperwork when a shadow appeared in his doorway, he knew who it was before he looked up, “Hello Jim.” 

“Bones,” Jim said sauntering into his office and taking the seat opposite the doctor.

“To what do I owe this honor?” He asked, knowing full well why Jim was in his office. 

“Lieutenant Martin has been doing quite well in the field.” Jim said, picking up a stray pad from Leonard’s desk. 

“She’s a good security officer.” Leonard answered noncommittally, damn good if you asked him. He had been on the bridge multiple times listening in on missions since their first meeting. She was smart, quick to act, and always brought back her crew. Even if bringing the crew back meant bodily harm to herself. 

Jim smiled. “That she is.”

Leonard knew that Jim was just trying to goad him into saying something that would inevitably be used against him in the future. He gave a small grunt in response. 

“Come on, Bones,” Jim groaned.

“Jim, what do you want from me?” Leonard asked.

“Admit you like her.” Jim said, tossing the pad back onto the desk. 

“I admire her work.” Leonard answered, putting the pad in front of him onto the pile beside his desk. “She keeps her crew safe. Throws herself into danger, with little regard for her life.”

Jim nodded, not speaking, which surprised Leonard.

“Like someone else I know.” Leonard added, pointedly looking at Jim.

“And you keep me around!” Jim said. 

“Only because Starfleet would have a conniption if you died.” Leonard muttered. “Or a parade…”

“Just give it a chance, Bones.” Jim said. 

Leonard sighed, “Jim, she’s probably wrapped around some Lieutenant who’s closer to her age. Just let it be.” 

Something flickered in Jim’s eyes and he let out a half hearted sigh of defeat. “Talk to me again in three days.” He pulled himself out of the chair. “Have a good night, Bones.” 

Leonard sighed as he watched the young captain leave his office. He closed his eyes, and he saw her face, bruised and bloodied from another fight. 

“Hey, Doc, less patching up this time.” She said, a smile on her face, shining through all the grime. 

“What did you do, run face first into a mountain?” He asked, setting up his machinery. 

“What can I say, it had a pretty face.” She said, winking, then wincing when he pressed a hypo into her neck. 

“Maybe next time try a gentler approach.” He murmured as took her face into his hands to take a closer look at the cut above her eyebrow. 

“I’m afraid we security kind don’t know much about ‘gentler’ approaches. Maybe you can show me?” She said, looking into his eyes. “You seem to know a thing about gentle approaches, don’t you, doc?” 

Leonard felt his heartbeat speed up, stupid heartbeat. He released her face and began to run the dermal regenerator over her injuries, careful to keep his eyes on the machine. “All finished.” He said, taking two steps away from her for good measure. 

“Thanks, doc.” She said, standing up from the bed she had been on. “Until next time.” She winked, walking out of the sick bay. 

Leonard let out a huff of air he hadn’t realized he was holding. “Next time.” He murmured. 

Then he was on the bridge, it had been a few weeks since the security officers had jumped onto another unknown planet. Jim had said that there was no point in him waiting in medical when this planet was showing to be peaceful. Which should have been a clue to Leonard to have extra supplies ready. 

It had seemed like a routine away mission on the planet. Security touched down first, before any of the other officers went planet side.

“Lieutenant Martin, reporting, thick vegetation around the beaming site.” Avery’s voice carried through the bridge. 

“We’re coming up on an abandoned settlement.” Jim stated. “Seems to have been left empty for a long time.”

“Phasers ready.” Avery said.

Leonard felt uneasy listening in on the comms of this away mission. Surely he should be preparing medical equipment, there was no way that the entire crew was going to make it back without any injuries. 

“What’s that?” A voice said before being cut off. 

“It’s an ambush, get back to the beaming site. Now!” Avery shouted. “Go!” 

“Scotty, be ready to beam us up when we are in range.” Jim commanded.

“Aye, Captain.” Scotty’s voice came over the intercom. 

“Shit, shit, double shit.” Avery’s voice came through. Phaser fire echoed over the comms. 

“Martin!” Jim’s voice broke through the fire. 

“Get to the beaming site, now.” Her voice ordered sharply.

“I give the orders.” Jim snapped.

“And I keep you alive. Go.” Avery snarled. “Phaser set to kill.” 

“Martin…..” Jim started.

“Get back to the ship.” She snarled. Leonard felt his palms start to sweat, he couldn’t see them, but he knew that she was walking into whatever dangers were there. 

Leonard turned on his heel and let his feet guide him to the safety of his sickbay. He knew he shouldn’t have been on the bridge. He learned too much there, heard too much. He should stay locked in his area. Give medical attention when needed. 

He had multiple interactions with Lieutenant Martin, from running into her throughout the ship to her wandering into the sickbay. He’d be lying if he said that she hadn’t grown on him. And here he was, faced with the reality that she was probably going to die on that planet. He stormed into the sickbay and began barking at nurses to get ready. He knew at any moment they were going to beam aboard and his mind would become busy with the task at hand. 

Stretchers with red shirts began piling into his area. Being pushed based on severity of injury. But he noticed, there were two missing. 

“Where is the Captain and Lieutenant Martin?” He asked the ensign in front of him with the least amount of injuries. 

“Lieutenant Martin charged the Klingons head on. She got three of them. The Captain ran to her to bring her back. That’s all I saw, then I was beamed up.” The kid managed to stutter out. 

_Damn, damn, double damn._ Leonard grumbled in his brain. Of course both those hot headed pains in his ass would run head first into danger. He didn’t have time to unpack all of that as he continued working on the injuries in front of him. He had to admit he was surprised at the lack of severity with the injuries. 

“Are you sure you were all attacked by Klingons?” He asked a Lieutenant in the bed in front of him. 

“Definitely.” The young man answered, “It was Klingons. We got out because Avery distracted them.” 

Leonard didn’t like the thought of that. If the Klingons managed to ignore the whole group in favor of one human woman, he knew that she was not coming back in a good state. 

“Bones! Where the hell is he?” He heard Jims voice shouting. He rounded the corner, his golden shirt ripped and torn, with Avery in his arms. 

Her head dropped in her chest, her arms clinging to her center. Her green eyes met Leonard’s. “Hey, doc.” She said weakly, her voice raspy and thin. 

“Get her on the bed.” Leonard snapped. Breaking from his moment of dazed silence. 

Jim set her down on the bed. Leonard’s eyes raked her body, covered in blood and dirt. Her shirt and pants were shredded. “Bones….” Jim began. Leonard gave him a sharp look to cut him off. Jim raised his arms and backed away. 

“Chapel, please give the Captain a look over.” He said, not removing his eyes from Avery on the bed in front of him. His tricorder hovering over her body. He wanted to just start closing the wounds, but he knew he had to do his due diligence. She could have internal injuries. 

“Doc,” He heard a weak voice murmur. “You know why security wears red?”

“No, why do you wear red?” Leonard bought into her speaking, just wanting to keep her from falling into unconsciousness. 

“So the bastards don’t see us bleed.” She murmured, wincing as he placed the hypo against her neck. He started up the machines surrounding her. Her eyes fluttered closed as he began to start the auto suture. 

The entire procedure took him three hours, longer than any of the others. Her injuries were more extensive than he had thought, a broken rib, broken arm, cuts across her torso and legs. Leonard should be used to seeing the aftermath of Klingon attacks, but it always struck him how intense the injuries were. Making it out of a Klingon fight alive was a feat in and of itself. 

He sat at her bedside, a hand resting on the mattress. He knew she would make it, but it had been touch and go. He felt his eyes fluttering closed. 

When he woke the next morning she was awake and chatting with Nurse Chapel. HIs head was on her mattress, his body folded in half. He sat up slowly, feeling each vertebra click into place. 

“Morning, doc.” Avery said, smiling at him. 

“Mmmmornin’” He murmured, running a hand through his hair. 

“You know, when I imagined waking up with you, this wasn’t the scenario I imagined.” Avery said, winking at the doctor. 

Nurse Chapel’s face grew into a wide grin, which she hid by turning and leaving the area. 

“Maybe if you’d stop charging headfirst into Klingon battles.” Leonard grumbled, rubbing his eyes and reaching for the pad next to him. 

“Is that a promise?” She asked, Leonard didn’t respond, but began to review the data of her progress on the pad in front of him. 

“If you make it a month without coming in here for injuries we will see.” Leonard stated, not realizing that he was saying it aloud. 

Avery made eye contact with him and wiggled her eyebrows. And that was the moment that Leonard cursed his sarcastic, smart ass mouth. 

He rubbed his eyes, trying to rub away the memories. So here he sat, almost a month since her Klingon battle. And she had not been on his operating table, or even near sick bay for a scratch. Leonard began to count the days specifically and he realized, three days until it had been a month. That bastard, “James Tiberius Fucking Kirk!” He snarled, rushing out to chase down his meddling Captain. 


	3. Golden Repairs

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Avery is cashing in on her deal with Leonard.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So this is definitely darker than the previous parts, focusing a lot on their pasts. Honestly this took on a mind of it’s own and went a completely different direction than I expected, but I don’t hate it. 
> 
> Warnings: Alcohol Consumption, sexual themes, mention of sex, talk of death, talk of divorce, mentions of abusive relationships, swearing. 
> 
> Note: Kintsugi- Japanese art of putting broken pottery back together with gold. Based in the idea that embracing flaws and imperfections, you create a stronger, more beautiful piece of art.

Leonard had been on edge for the past two days. Today marked a month since he had opened his damn dumb mouth. In that entire month, Avery had not been in his office once, not in a medical bed, not even near the medbay. Not for a scratch, bruise, stab wound, absolutely nothing. Not that he hadn’t been busy, the engineers had recently been having a bout with their equipment that had resulted in every degree of burn you could know. Luckily, Leonard had been able to use this to distract himself from the knowledge that Avery was going to show up in his office. 

There was a sense of unease that he felt, not seeing her security reds in the medbay. He passed her in the halls or in the cafeteria and she always waved and smiled at him, but never approached. At least when he was caring for her injuries he knew what to expect, a few smart comments aimed at him, but a healed woman. Each time he treated her injuries he felt a small part of his heart slide back into place in the mangled mess inside his chest. 

Healing others in and of itself was fulfilling for Leonard, but caring for Avery was different. And he reluctantly examined the differences, one night, alone, in his office, with a bottle of scotch. The night that marked a full month of her staying out of the medley for any injuries of any kind, he was starting to wonder if Jim had wrapped her in bubble wrap just to spite him, or at least sanctioned you to desk duty. He sighed, taking a sip of scotch from the glass in front of him. 

_Feelings_. He knew that was what was happening. Feelings that he had told himself that he would never experience again. He knew he would always care for others, that was hardwired into his existence. Caring for others kept him sane, even when it brought him pain, he took a sip as he remembered the faces of people he failed to save in his line of work. The most common denominator between them was the Starfleet red uniform shirt glaring him in the eyes. He let out a frustrated burst of air, of course he would develop feelings for someone who was probably destined to die before the Enterprise was finished with space exploration.

Feelings and caring used to be such a natural part of his persona, then _she_ came along. He was so in love, she was so perfect. She was kind, she was compassionate. She made him a better person. Tears threatened to spill over his eyes. And she left. She left him with nothing, forced him to thrust himself into space. Into the unknown. Perhaps this was his personal purgatory, if he believed in that stuff. He had to atone for some of the sins of his youth he supposed, taking another sip of scotch.

Love, a fickle emotion, so hard to grasp and find, so easy to lose and chase away. Leonard had vowed that love was out of the question for him the moment he entered the shuttle that brought him Jim Kirk. Then Avery waltzed into his medbay, with jokes and smiles, even when bleeding profusely from a stab wound gained from the newest planet habitant she happened to meet. His heart clenched as he remembered the Klingon battle wounds that had almost killed her. Doctors weren’t supposed to fall for their patients, they were supposed to heal them and send them back into the world. But he couldn’t do that with her. He found himself on the bridge more often than not listening to away missions she was on, preparing himself for the day that he would sign the certificate that would send her into the depth of space for the final time. 

He heard a knock at his door, “Hey, doc.” He glanced up from his musings and there she stood. She was in a security red dress, he had been so used to seeing her in the pants, that he couldn’t stop his eyes from raking over her body. It was no shock that she was fit, working in security would do that to a person. His eyes were drawn to her legs, long and toned, probably from running away from all her assailants, or towards them.“Can I come in?” She asked, he felt the nervous energy radiating off of her. 

He grunted and gestured to the chair across his desk. She walked in and he couldn’t help but notice the movement of her hips and he damned himself to hell. She sat in the chair, crossing her legs, Leonard couldn’t be sure if that action was intentional or not, but he took a gulp of scotch, letting the burn clear his mind for a moment. 

She glanced at him, “I believe we made a deal last time I was here.” 

“Hmmm.” He answered, pulling a second glass out of his desk, pouring scotch into it, and sliding it across his desk to Avery. She glanced at it before wrapping her hand around it. 

“Doc, I like you.” She said bluntly, taking a sip of the alcohol, Leonard was surprised that she didn’t even react as she drank it. 

“Darling, if you’re gonna be here, drinking scotch, talking all this nonsense, you’re gonna call me Leonard.” He drawled, giving the glass in front of him a swirl. 

She raised an eyebrow at him. “Leonard it is.”

He nodded approvingly, taking another sip. She seemed to be waiting for him to say something, but she was going to be disappointed, that much he knew. He would be lying if he said he was not in the slightest surprised by her bluntness towards him. She liked him, that brought a warmth to his chest, and damn did he want it to knock that shit off. 

She seemed to notice that in this moment she was not going to get anything out of him without forcing his hand. “So Leonard, tell me about yourself.” 

“Not much to tell, joined Starfleet, became a doctor, and here I am.” He said, gesturing to his office.

She nodded, her eyes raking over him. He felt his shoulders stiffen as her eyes made it to his hands, specifically his left. There hadn’t been a ring there for years now, but he still felt the weight of it, the weight of one of his largest failures. “How long?” She asked.

“I’ve been a doctor for Starfleet for….six years, I think.” He answered. 

She chuckled, “How long have you been divorced?” 

He glanced into her green eyes, “You’ve been talking to Jim.” He grumbled. 

“While there is some truth in that, that’s not why I ask.” Avery answered. 

“Six years.” He reluctantly mumbled. “Ten years together, thrown out in an instant and now six years as far away as possible.”

Avery remained silent, letting him speak his piece. 

“Have you ever given your soul to someone, only to have them throw it to the wolves?” He asked. 

Something flickered in her eyes, “Yes. I have.” She answered quietly. Leonard found himself quiet. “I got into security to protect people. I had wanted to be in the science division when I started.” She started, looking to Leonard. 

He remained silent, urging her to continue with a tilt of his head. 

“Back on Earth I have a sister,” She paused, “Had a sister. She was my best friend. She got married the year before I was able to apply to the academy. I didn’t like him, but I wasn’t marrying him. Six months before I leave for academy we get a call. The police. They said it was a domestic, that he was behind bars, but they didn’t say what happened to her. It took so much from my father to ask what had happened to her, she didn’t make it to the hospital. I had been preparing to join the research group. I changed my track immediately. If I had said something, called her, talked to her, pulled her out of that house. I could have….” Tears formed in her eyes and slid down her cheek. 

Leonard reached out and gently held her empty hand. “If we live our lives in could have and would have, we’re just going to keep running in circles.” 

She glanced down at their joined hands, “Thank you, you’re a good man.” 

He let out a wry chuckle, “Don’t go too far, darling.” 

She pulled her eyes from his, “Leonard McCoy, you are a good man. You heal and care for people who you barely know. You stayed by my bedside and you didn’t even know me. You. Are. A. Good. Man.” She emphasized each word of the last sentence, he almost believed her. 

Leonard gritted his teeth, he wanted to believe her, but good men didn’t get dealt the cards he had, they had good lives, they had good wives. They weren’t forced off the planet for God’s sake. “I’m not.” 

She pulled her hand out of his and stood, making her way around the desk so she was standing in front of his sitting form. She crouched down so they were eye level. “Don’t you see the good you do every day, the lives you save? Do you realize how many people you have helped?” She asked gently, placing a hand on his thigh. 

He avoided her gaze, taking a shaky breath, glancing at the blank death certificates on his desk. Ready for the next away mission, a mission he would guarantee she was assigned to. “I’m not that good, darling.” He murmured. 

She had followed his gaze to the certificates, she reached up and drew his chin up to bring his eyes to hers. “We know what we signed up for, we all do. There will always be the chance that we aren’t going to go home. But our purpose is to protect, protection can have costs.” 

He sighed, “I am supposed to heal, that’s my purpose.” 

“And I am proof that you have exceeded your purpose.” She whispered. 

Leonard’s eyes searched her face, looking for her to tell him that he was a failure, he was the reason so many of her colleagues were to be among the stars for all eternity, but it never came. Instead she leant in until their lips were almost touching, her eyes asking his permission. He closed the gap between them, his hand going to the back of her neck to pull her closer, threading his fingers in her hair. He felt desperate as the kiss deepened, she was the air he had been searching for. He was the solace she had been craving. 

They pulled apart, lungs begging for air. He took in her swollen lips, her disheveled hair. And he had never seen a more beautiful woman. A spark ignited in her eyes. 

“So doc, your place or mine?” She asked, a wicked grin spitting her face. 

He stood up, pulling her with him and brought his lips down to hers. Fire igniting in his chest. They pulled apart for the second time, breathless. “Mine is closer.” 

“Lead the way.” She said, threading her fingers through his. Leonard lead her to his quarters, when he shut the door behind him, he took in the sight of her standing before him. 

“Are you sure?” He asked. 

“More than anything.” She answered unzipping her dress, that was all the confirmation Leonard needed. He pulled her in for another kiss before leading her to his bedroom. 

Leonard woke the next morning with Avery curled into his bare chest, her hand resting above his heart.For the first time in a long time he felt like his heart was whole, made up of the tiny pieces it had been broken into, but whole. 


End file.
